Wheel structure.



M. BOYER.

WHEEL SRUCTUREE APPLICATIGN man SEPT. 24. 19u,

mme@ Eb. 19?, 1918.

MHK-HN BOYER;

rrrcn I MARTI-N BOYER, OE'k LOWRYQ MINNESOTA.

W'HIEEL STRUCTURE.

Speci'cation of Letters Patent.

Patented-Feb. i9, 1918.

Applcation'led September 24, 1917. Serial No. 193,002.

Y 1o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN BOYER, a citi'- zen of the United States, residing at Lowry,A in the county of Pope andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVheel Str-neutres,- of which the following is a speciiication,refer ence being had to the accompanying drawe ings.

'lhisinvention relates to certain improvements in Wheel structures and'- it is an'objectr of the invention to provide a devi'ccof this general character' having novel; and: im; proved means whereby the shocks and jars incident to travel are substantiallyentirelyv eliminated.

lt is-also an object ofthe'inventi on to pro-- vider a novel and improved wheel structure including a: hub having tubular spokes raedia-ti'ng' therefrom together with a rim'r disposed around the hub and whereinplungersare disposed' throughthe tubular spokes and coa'c't with the cushioning means carried: by' the hub and with the' rim;

The invention alsov has for an object to provide a novel and improved wheel struc-A ture'wherein the tire arrangedupon the rim Vof the wheel serves asa' cushioningjelement coacting with radiallyl movableI plungers;y

it is'also an object of the invention to provide a novel and'- improv-ed` wheely structure: including radially' movable plungers coact-k ing with suitable1 cushioning elements'andd wherein cushioning means aref arranged di`` rectly on the plungers for imparting great-v resiliency to the structure.'

The vinvention -consists in the detailsI 'of construction and in the combination and arrangements of thef severaly parts of'm'y iin-- proved wheel structurev whereinv certain'l important advantagesy are attained andfthedef vice rendered simpler,` less expensive and otherwise more convenient Aand advantaf geous` for` use, as will' bef'herein'after more full-y set forth. v

The novel features lof my inventonwil-l` hereinafter-'be"definitely claimed'.

In order that my invention may bef thev betfterunderstood will now' proceedl lto dee" scribe the same with reference t'oithef'accom# panying` drawings Y wherein Figure4 1- is a' fragmentary view partly'in elevation. and'- partly in: section illustrating.

a wheel constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention F ig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the hub portion of my im'- proved wheel with the inner end portion of the plunger shown in elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the tireand rim of my im-V proved structure with the co-acting end portion of a plunger shown in elevation.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawingsH denotes a hubembodying the sleeve orbarrel 1- adapted to be mounted directly upon a supporting axle and disposed around said barrel or sleeve lv in spaced relation are the annular members 2 and 3 concentric to eachother and to the sleeve or` barrel 1V.

Radiating from the .outer annular mem.- ber 8 of the hub H are the tubular spokes 4, withV the bores thereof in communication with the space between the annular membersI 2 and 3 through the medium of the openings 5 produced in the annular member 3;

R denotes a rim disposed. around the hub- H-l and substantially concentric thereto. when thewheelis free yfof load-andsaid rim at sub-V stantially its transverse center is divided cire cumferentiallyinto two sections 6. When in assembled relation the inner` marginal portions have produced therein aseries of circumferentially spaced` elongated slots 7 havingl their major axes extending circumferentially of the rim. The inner marginal portions 0f the sectionsG of the rim are also provided with circumferentially disposed and inwardly directed flanges 8 having their free marginalI portions inturned as at 9 for contact one with the other and in order to afford an annular chamber for a purposeto be hereinafter more particularly referred to; Co-'acting with the flanges 8 and disposed through the chamber afforded thereby are the rivets l0 or other fastening means which server to maintain the sections 6 of the rimR in assembled relation. The inturned portions 9 of the flangesare provided vwith:regg-'- istering recesses 1l to aord elongated: openings extending in the same gene-ralY direction as the openings 7 and in radial aline:- ment therewith; i

Mounted` upon the rim-Ris the tire-'T lofa cushion` typeV and preferably of solidA rubber'.`

Embedded Within the tire T are the reinforcing members orwires 12 disposed circumferentially of the tire and in predetermined spaced relation. These reinforcing members or Wires 12 serve to facilitate the maintenance of the tire T in applied position upon the rim R. Y

The inner face of the tire T has embedded therein a yplurality of metallic sockets 14 each adapted to register with a slot 7 in the rim R. Seated Within each of the sockets l111 is a head 15 arranged at the outer end of a plunger 16. This plunger is also directed through an opening or slot afforded by the registering recesses 11 and loosely extends Within a tubular spoke t. The inner end portion ofthe plunger 9 extends Within a socket 17 embedded in the outer face of a cushioning element 18 snuglyfitting Within the space afforded between the annular members 2 and 3.

The outer end portions of the tubular spokes 4 terminate a predetermined distance inwardly of the rim Rand said outer end portions are connected by the annular member 19 concentric to the hub H. The annular member 19 may be formed in any desired. manner and fixed to the outer end portions of the spokes 4: as desired but preferably by Welding so that said annular member 19 and spokes twill be substantially integral.

' Snugly fitting Within the annular chamber afforded by the flanges 8 is a compression member 2O preferably of rubber and which is provided with suitable openings 21 through which the plungers 16 snuglyr pass so that said 'member 20 serves as a'cushion to compensate for the circumferential movement of the plungers 16 relative to the rim R and also to normally maintain said4 plunger 16 at substantially the longitudinal center 4Vof the openings 7 and the openings aorded by the recesses 11.

It has also been found in practice of advantage to provide a portion of each of the plungers 16 Within a spoke 4 with a pair of radially spaced gaskets 22 preferably of rubsite end portions of the sleeve 1 and membersV 2 and 3 is the removable plate 25V secured thereto in any manner which will best meet the requirementsof practice.

I alsol find it vof advantage to provide the opposite end faces of each of the plungcrs 16 With a recessor pocket 26 and sn ugly fitting Within each. of said pockets is a plug 27 preferably of compressed paper and which plug` serves 4to substantially eliminate the possibility of noise incident to the operation of the plunger. In practice it is preferred to provide the outer or Working face of the plug 27 With a coating of dry graphite or the like.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a Wheel structure constructed in accordance With my invention is particularly Well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility With which it mav be assembled and operated and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification Without materially departing from the principle and spirit thereof andfor'this reason I do not Wish to be understood as limitingl myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in means co-actingwith the inner end portionsV of the plungers.

2. A Wheel structure including'a hub, tubular spokes radiating therefrom, a rim surrounding the hub and provided with circumfei-enitially spaced openings, a cushion tire mounted. upon the rim, sockets .embeddedV Within the inner face of the tire and in regi istry with the openings of the rim, plungers loosely mounted Within the spokes and extending through the openings in the rim and seated Within the sockets of the tire, and cushioning means coacting Vwith the inner end portions of the plungers. the portions of the plungers within the sockets being `provided `with heads.

3. A Wheel structure including a hub, tu-

bular spokes radiating therefrom, a rim surrounding the huband provided ywith circuitiferentially spaced openings. `circumferen-A tially disposed and inwardly directed flanges carried bythe rim. a cushion tire mounted upon the rirnrsockets embeddedV Within the inner face of the tire and in registry With the openings of the rim. plungers loosely mounted Within the spokes extending between the flanges of the rim and through the openings of the rim and seated within the sockets of the tire, cushioning means coacting with the inner endl portions of the plungers, and a compression member fitted between the annular flanges of the rim and through which the plungcrs snuglyV pass, said compression member serving as a cushion to compensate for the circumferential movement of the plungers relative to the rim.

4. A Wheel structure including a hub, tubular spokes radiating therefrom, a rim surrounding the hub and provided with circumferentially spaced openings, circumferentially disposed and inwardly directed flanges carried by the rim, a cushion tire mounted upon the rim, sockets embedded Within the inner face of the tire and in registry vA ith the openings of the rim, plungers loosely mounted Within the spokes extending between the flanges of the rim and through the openings of the rim and seated Within the sockets of the tire, cushioning means coacting with the inner end portions of the plungcrs, and a compression member fitted between the annular flanges of the rim and through which the plungers snugly pass, said compression member serving as a cushion to compensate for the circumferential movement of the plungers relative to the rim, the free marginal portions of the flanges of the rim being inwardly inturned for contact one with the other, said inturned portions being provided With registering recesses to afford elongated openings through which the plungers are disposed.

5. A Wheel structure including a hub, tubular spokes radiating therefrom, a rim surrounding the hub and provided with circumferentially spaced openings, a cushion tire mounted upon the rim, sockets embedded Within the inner face of the tire and in registry `with the openings of the rim, plungers loosely mounted Within the spokes, extending through the openings in the rim, and seated within the sockets of the tire, cushioning means co-acting with the inner end portions of the plungers, and compression means carried by the rim and coacting with the outer end portions of the plungers independently of the tire to serve as a cushion to compensate tor the circumferential movement of the plungers relative to the rim.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARTN BOYER. Witnesses:

I. W. ENGEBUTSON, lVM. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents, Washington, D. C. 

